Decades of Thoracic Oncology Service

Lung cancer, whether from environmental toxins or tobacco use, has long been a major health threat in the United States, and many thoracic oncology programs have been offering treatment and research advances for decades.

Most thoracic oncology programs take multi-disciplinary approaches to treating a cancer such as mesothelioma, with specialists in areas such as:

Diagnostic imaging

Thoracic surgery

Medical oncology, including chemotherapy

Pulmonary medicine

Radiation oncology

Pathology

Oncology nursing

Determining a Mesothelioma Treatment Plan

The multi-disciplinary approach is often the most beneficial for a mesothelioma cancer patient, in part because there is no cure for the disease at this time and it is difficult to predict which type of mesotheliom treatment — surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, or something else — will be best for a given patient.

Tests to Evaluate the Patient’s Mesothelioma

When a mesothelioma cancer patient enters a thoracic oncology program, he or she will probably be subjected to a battery of diagnostic tests and imaging procedures, enabling the thoracic oncology team to evaluate and confirm the stage of the mesothelioma cancer and devise a treatment plan. A biopsy (sampling) of cancer cells or tissue may be performed, perhaps by:

Mesothelioma Progress Updates

Although these tests can be a trying time for a patient and his or her family, they’re well worth the time and effort. An accurate prognosis and a complete treatment plan depend in part on the results of these tests. It is also likely that the patient’s thoracic oncology team will meet at regular intervals to discuss the patient’s progress and make any necessary adjustments to the treatment plan.

Find a Thoracic Oncology Program Near You

If your loved one has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, you can find out where and how to get the best treatment available to you. Contact mesothelioma treatment center for more information about thoracic oncology programs.